International Relations at Lehigh
International
Relations is taught in most American universities as part of political
science. Lehigh is among the few higher educational institutions in the
US that has long had a separate department of IR. This means that
students with a particular interest in international affairs will
benefit from a concentrated program of study that few other schools
offer.
Prospective Students
International relations does not absolutely require any specific
preparation, but pre-collegiate students interested in the study of
international relations should take as much college preparatory work in
social sciences as is available to them, including economics, history,
government, and geography. At least one foreign language is desirable,
though there is no specific requirement.
IR majors
number between 35 and 40 per academic class. They come from all over
the world (though a majority are U.S. citizens) and display a wide
range of interests. Most add a minor or even a second major in subjects
as diverse as economics, Asian studies, or language programs. Another
10 or 15 students per year minor in International Relations. Class sizes range from 40 or more in our beginning courses to 10 or fewer in our advanced research seminars.
Major and Minor Curricula
Students considering a major in International Relations are strongly advised to
take IR 10: Introduction to World Politics and ECO 1: Principles of Economics as early as possible. We
also recommend that IR majors fulfill the mathematics portion of their
college distribution requirement with MATH 12: Basic Statistics. This is not, however, a requirement for the major. For full explanation of the structure of the curriculum, or to
declare a major or minor, please visit the IR Department.
Course catalog pages
present brief course descriptions and syllabi, but check with
individual instructors for the most recent version because some of
these may be preliminary versions originally placed here during last
semester's registration. Any further information available for the
course -- such as an individual course website, instructor comments, or
additional documents -- will be linked to that schedule.
IR course catalogs
Requirements for IR major
Elective courses for IR major
Requirements for IR minor
Completing the IR major requires a grade-point average of 2.0 or better in the courses that make up the major. Outstanding students may qualify for two prestigious awards: the Aurie Dunlap Prize and the International Leadership Award.
Aurie Dunlap Prize
Carey B. Joynt International Relations Leadership Award
Honors Thesis
International
relations majors with senior standing may undertake an intensive,
two-semester project under the direct guidance of a faculty member in
the student's special area of interest. Students who successfully
complete the thesis and whose GPA in the major at the time of
graduation is 3.5 or higher receive Departmental Honors.
Students considering an honors thesis should begin thinking about possible topics for their project and should contact possible faculty advisers during the spring semester of their junior year.
Research
The
Department of International Relations has a strong commitment to supporting undergraduate research. For journals, catalogs, and
other useful tools for research, click on the first link below.
Research tools
Lehigh University library citation guide
Departmental citation standards
Departmental plagiarism policy
Student Opportunities
Activities in the Department of International Relations extend beyond the class room, ranging from internships to student associations. The student-run World Affairs Club sponsors a number of activities each year, including the Model United Nations at Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania and the Model European Union in Washington, D.C.
World Affairs Club
Model United Nations
Model European Union
Additional opportunities in the study of international relations are administered through Lehigh's Office of International Education, the Global Union, and Area Studies programs.
Global Union
Study abroad
Asian Studies Program
Russian Studies Program
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